FEATURE
establish the simplest of “conservation projects” – no formal arrangements, just a group of people holding the same species who agree to liaise with each other or through a coordinator to ensure that the “group” is informed of surplus and wanted birds with the aim of maximizing genetic diversity. In this way even someone with a single pair can avoid inbreeding. In practical terms this simply means calling up other bird keepers a couple of times a year for a chat – something most of us do anyway! It is easy to transfer birds on a countrywide basis via the Stafford sale days. I view the optimum (small enough group of humans and large enough group of birds) as roughly 6 – 10 breeders holding 12 – 20 pairs of birds from as genetically wide a base as possible. With Parrotlets, however, considerably more are involved since most keepers have more than one species. Most of the contacts I have talk freely with each others and also have “satellite” groups – people to whom they have sold birds and stayed in touch. It is a very loose arrangement but it works! The species with which I have been
trying to establish Interest Groups are listed briefly below. I have also personally been working with Madagascar Lovebirds and Mountain Parakeets.
At threat from domestication/ mutation
Bourke’s Parakeets
Early stages – we need more people to commit to developing a strain of pure normals. I am keen to hear from anyone breeding normals for three generations or more.
Diamond Doves
I have birds that are very close to pure normals (2 silvers in last 50 + young). Ideally, we need another strain to dilute inbreeding. Also private keepers committed to the birds. One public collection is building a colony.
Timor Zebra Finches The Timor subspecies is not to be confused with the familiar Australian (now domesticated) one – for a start it is half the size. Limited numbers of pure birds are available but it is only a matter of time before they are spoiled by accidental or deliberate hybridising with the Australian Zebra. Fortunately, as well as some committed private hobbyists, a number of public collections are building ring- fenced groups of normal birds while they are still available.
Most of the contacts I have talk freely with each other and also have “satellite” groups – people to whom they have sold birds and stayed in touch.
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